The Purple Goldfish Project: Lessons in Retaining Customers & Influencing Word of Mouth

#2. From Laura Howells
“Caribou Coffee gives you a complimentary chocolate-covered coffee bean with your coffee. This makes me so happy that I seek out the Caribou Coffee whenever I have a layover at the Minneapolis airport. Take that Starbucks.”

From Kelly Leslie
#4. “Ben & Jerry’s Free Cone Day (held each April to celebrate their birthday), Dunkin’ Donuts (free iced coffee on the first day of spring)”
#5. Doubletree Hotels (free warm chocolate cookie at check in)
#6. Scrub-a-Dub Car Wash (free wash on your birthday)
#7. Denny’s (kids eat free on Tuesday nights)
#8. McDonald’s (free coffee for senior citizens age 55 and older)”

#12. From Rob Gallo
“Disney gives you free admission to one of its theme parks on your birthday.”

#14. From Darren Miner
“The US Postal Service Flat Rate Box. No weight limit and one simple price. You fit it . . . and they ship it”

Matthew Hirsch
#16. DoubleTree Hotels – They give cookies to all guests when they check in: http://doubletree.hilton.com/en/dt/promotions/dt_cookie/index.jhtml

#18. From Mark Beal
“Krispy Kreme will give a free doughnut for just walking through the door”

#20. From Dan Hull
“Starbucks gives out a free cup of coffee on election day if you come in with an “i voted” sticker”

#22. From Claire Gallo
“I live in West Hartford, CT. When you shop at Whole Foods and buy fish, meat or poultry . . . the folks at Whole Foods will offer to give you ice for free. Very nice touch, especially if you have other errands or plan to shop around town.”

From Gene Willis in Amsterdam
#34. “Was thinking, not sure if this qualifies, but I get a copy of PASTE magazine, which is a music, film and culture magazine. They had a nice lagniappe in that each issue comes with a bunch of free songs. It used to be on a CD, but with the shrinking ad revenue during the recession, they had to make some changes, so now you download them instead of delivering them with each copy. Always thought it was pretty cool.
#35. There’s another…although i’m not sure if it qualifies….a place in Auburn, CA that has a bit of a cult following…it’s called IKEDAS, and it’s a family run restaurant/community market. In the market they have a basket of free chips and bread in front of each of their salad dressings so you can taste them. It’s a nice, human touch that creates a little something extra to make the shopping experience a bit more of an experience. It’s a small thing, and sampling isn’t all that unique, but the fact is they do it, and every time I was with people driving from the Bay Area up to lake Tahoe on HWY 80, everyone would remember IKEDAS and their great grocery store.
#36. On a more macro level, I’ve always thought that clean bathroom in Starbucks are given far too little credit for their success. It’s not a mandate, and some places will designate them as employee only, but that feels cheap.
#37. Last one I can think of right now, another famous one from San Francisco…The Fillmore, a famous music auditorium which has hosted everyone from The Grateful Dead to Snoop Dogg….at the end of each show they hand out a limited number of music posters….free. Each poster has it’s own unique artwork, and the date of the show and artist. People collect the posters, and sometimes look forward to getting the poster as much as the show. Generations of posters are framed and make-up the walls. Also, when you enter the Fillmore, there is a bucket of free apples and someone who welcoming you to the Fillmore. No wonder it’s one of the most loved places to see a band perform live.”

#39. From Richard Pastor Sr.
“I have a Subway “cash cash” given to me (free) at a local Subway Franchise which I consider to be a customer appreciation/rewards program. I receive points for each dollar spent which are redeemable for food items. This builds loyalty and is an added incentive when deciding where to buy lunch next time (10 points = a cookie; 75 points = 12 inch sub for example)
You can check it out at http://www.mysubwaycard.com
Hey, I wonder if they ever considered a nine-inch sub?”

#48. Parke Morris
Stan–what about when Lexus delivers your car back washed and cleaned on the inside. It makes me want to take it there to get overcharged for the oil change just because you effectively get a free car wash and vacuum out of it. This is a great perk. Disclosure: My Lexus has 190,000 miles on it lest you think I am “Pimpin P”. Great idea for a book. I will be intrigued to read other examples.

From Brad Bossow
#53. Ground Round serves free popcorn
#54. Department stores execute the special ‘Gift w/ Purchase’ program with cosmetics

From Liz DiLullo Brown
#56. We recently relocated to PA and were doing a fast and furious real estate hunt. As part of that we needed a mortage (obviously) so I called USAA, my automobile insurance company. Not sure if you know much about USAA, but they have been rated #1 in customer service by Businessweek for several years and it is understandable why. Although USAA is only available to members of the military and their family (extended family), they make membership a badge of loyalty. My father has been a member since 1969 and I since the early 1990’s.

First, USAA offers a program called Movers Advantage. The program recommends a realtor to use and the opportunity to earn rewards for going through the program. So we used their realtor which ended up being a reputable person through Coldwell Banker.

Then after receiving pre-approval from USAA we bid on a house, offer was accepted and went to the next step to organize the closing. Our first key moment with USAA was when they offered to move UP our closing date. It took us a total of 3.5 weeks to close. Now, it helped that they had given us some guidance on getting the proper documentation to them for the mortgage commitment, but regardless, in a time of mortgage crisis, they made it painless.

Then after closing, we received a call from USAA. It was the representative for the Mover’s Advantage program. Because we had participated in the program and received our financing through USAA, they were sending us a check (equivelant to cash!) for $1,350. Yes, $1,350.

#58 From Megan Callaghan
My friend just bought some sunglasses from Native Eyewear (www.nativeeyewear.com). The sunglasses came with a slogan that she just posted on her Facebook. The slogan made me think about you and your project:

“Adapt your vision. Step out your front door and open your eyes. A world of unmatched clarity. Rise up. Take it on. Make it yours. Let the salt from your brow stake your claim.”

#60. From Micky Baehr
This August I had the opportunity to visit the Martin Guitar Company in Nazareth, PA. They offer a free tour of the factory. The tour was spectacular, lasting well past an hour and they answered all of our questions. The marketing lagniappe was at the end of the tour. They gave everyone the sound hole (the cutout in the middle of the guitar). It was imprinted with the Martin logo. I’ve told all of my guitar friends about it and they all thought it was pretty cool.

From Micky Baehr
#64. On Carnival cruises, each night after returning to your cabin, a towel is on your bed, cleaverly folded into various animal shapes … elephants, rabbit, giraffes, in addition to a good chocolate mint on your pillow. As if you need more food on a cruise!

From Ted Hillenmeyer
#66. Tim Coffey is a local photographer in Stamford. During Halloween he takes free pictures at his studio of kids in their costumes as long as you bring in a toy for Toys for Tots. It has goodwill wrapped all around it since the toys are for a good cause, parents aren’t obligated to buy anything if they don’t like the photos but I’m sure Tim does a great business of parents buying pics of their kids in Halloween outfits and then potentially using him for Christmas and other family pics.

#67. Splash car wash has two soap guns (kind of look like machine guns) installed in the side wall so as cars go by on the production line kids can shoot an endless stream of sudsy soap at their car.

#68. John Allen’s is a men’s hair salon that caters to wall street. They have a pool table patrons can use while they wait, they serve beer from the tap and shine your shoes. I think all of that is free (although you end up tipping the barmaid, shoe shiner, warm face towel guy, shaver, haircut gal and manicurist.

#69. When your car needs service at Lexus of Greenwich they will come pick up your car, drop off a free loaner (a Lexus) and return your car washed. They are also open until midnight (they run 3 shifts).

From Keith Green
Stan-
Great project here, best of luck with it and the book!

Here are a couple of local New Jersey favorites:

#71. Super Food Town: Free balloons and lollipops for the kids! Not that a grocery store isn’t enough fun for a three year old, but what kid doesn’t love a balloon and a free lolli? There isn’t a set place where they hand them out, but people actually find you in the aisle while you are shopping and hand the great freebies over to your child.

#72. CIrcle BMW, Eatontown, NJ. Mayve this is common at car dealerships,but whenever I take my car in for service (whether it is under warranty or not) it comes back squeaky clean at no extra charge. Nothing like a free trip through the car wash!

From Melissa Lee
#74. A long day of traveling can really suck the life out of you. By the time you check into your hotel, you’re tired, hungry, and most importantly – dehydrated from flying. The Westminster Hotel offers free bottled water in all of their rooms. I don’t know any other hotel that offers this and in most cases, it’s about $4-$6 for a bottle of water in hotel rooms. I visited this hotel as a potential place for our wedding guests next October and this was one point they made sure to tell us.

From Doug Drotman of Drotman Communications
#76. How about Commerce Banks free use of change machines – a lot better than rolling coins.

#78. From Marcia Hoover of Chamberlain Consulting

The best one I can think of is Horizon Air – the regional affiliate for Alaska Airlines. They have always served free beer and wine to all passengers on their flights. Given today’s economy and stifling service in the airline industry Horizon definitely stands out as a marketing lagniappe.

#80 From Mary Ann Baehr

Jim Cloud—-Owner of Aqua Pools (his business offers pool supplies and maintenance). Jim was showing me his newest location, which is still under construction. It will include a large conference room which will have mixed use. Jim explained that among the uses will be a “client appreciation” event. Twice a year Jim hosts a FREE session for new and existing customers on the “basics of opening and closing pools” (what TO DO and what NOT to do). Jim described it as extremely well received and appreciated, resulting in retaining his customers and often selling additional pool supplies (Jim also offers a 25% discount on supplies for the attendees).

#82. From Stan Phelps about Anthony Covello

During the first 5+ years of Classic Shine of Greenwich, owner Anthony Covello would call each customer the day after their cars were serviced. It was a small personal touch that conveyed he cared and to insure the customer was completely satisfied.

#84 From Bill Malone

At his business ‘Enviro Express’ Bill and his team hand out cube notepads (see example http://www.crobike.de/en/werbemittel_bilder/promopeddler/8900/19620.jpg ) to both clients and prospects. A small touch that is appreciated by his customers. Bill’s ‘gift’ stays atop the desk of his client. Guess who is top of mind when his customers need his services?

#86. From David Ackerman

Martin + Osa has a nice little Purple Goldfish. They offer you a complimentary bottle of water when you are shopping in the store. Not just an ordinary 8 ounce bottle . . . they give you a decent sized bottle of FIJI. Tres bon.

From Micky Baehr

#95. Center Valley G.C. in PA gives a free round of golf on your birthday

From Brian Fisher of Conde Nast

#107. Hey, my wife just caught a purple goldfish. Zappos.com just gave her overnight shipping on a pair of shoes for free (out of the blue). She had them in less than 24 hours.

Thanks Ola. It looks like Lovefilm gets a bunch of little things right. You can tell they are very customer-centric.
Great example.

#110. Another shot of Kimpton:

Kimpton is picking up the tab for airline charges that may apply when you check a second bag. Simply show proof of an airline baggage charge when you check in at any Kimpton hotel in the U.S. and Canada, and we’ll issue a room credit for one bag, up to $25, offsetting this cost for air travelers.*

“At Kimpton, we believe that small gestures go a long way toward making us the best loved hotel company in the country,” said Mike Depatie, president and CEO of Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants. “With the We’ve Got Your Bag program we aim to extend care for people who stay with us beyond our hotels to other aspects of the travel experience.”

#114 From Jeff Mard of Horizon Marketing Group

McDonald’s will begin to offer Free WiFi in January. http://mashable.com/2009/12/15/mcdonalds-free-wifi-2/

From Rob Johnson (a.k.a ROJO)

#118. Del Friscos Steak House – Take food to your car before you leave from valet

#119. Exclusive Resorts – ski passes on the counter upon arrival, food in the refrigerator, luggage service (no need to travel with luggage)

#120. Sage Valley Country Club – polish your shoes during your round of golf, then polish your golf shoes when you return

#122 From Sharlene Sones

Hope your trip to cajun country was a good one! So, In the midst of shoveling, here’s one that came to mind:

Capital Grille. (http://thecapitalgrille.com) A friend of mine was telling me that last week he and a small group of friends/work colleagues went to Capital Grille in Philadelphia to celebrate the holidays. Capital Grille is (depending on your budget) fairly pricey and promises an elegant and exceptional dining experience (their words). Unfortunately, this evening didn’t quite live up to that promise. The diners had a wait to get to their table (despite a reservation) and apparently, there were a few other snafus during the course of the evening. It was, in the words of my friend, “nothing exceptionally bad. Just not perfect or very special.”

The next day, my friend received a voicemail from Capital Grille. He didn’t return the call, thinking that “they must be calling for some sort of follow up survey purpose.” Another day later, he picked up the phone to find the caller was the manager of the restaurant. The manager explained that he was distressed to discover that their experience was less than stellar and didn’t live up to Capital Grille’s promise. He then offered up a gift certificate for their next visit to the restaurant. What’s really amazing is that the waiter realized that the diner’s experience was not up to par and told the manager, who took swift action. We aren’t even sure exactly how Capital Grille figured out how to reach them (credit card? reservation number?).

The result? My friend is now a loyal customer and advocate for Capital Grille. Smart investment on their part — and a wise choice to own up to misgivings in a way that reinforce the brand story that is Capital Grille.

#124. From Jennifer Phelps

Stew Leonard’s

how about the Santa at Stew’s? He is there everyday from 3-6 during the week and more hours on the weekend. Your kids can sit on his lap and you can take photos then the kids get a candycane. During the year Clover the Cow comes around giving hugs to all the little ones, she hands out jellybeans during Easter and during Halloween she hands out Halloween candy on the hay ride. I just love Stew’s!

#126 From Jim Reinwald

Bob’s Discount Furniture

I was not looking forward to how many times I was going to be asked, “are we done yet” by my 11 year old while shopping for a bedroom set at Bob’s. I was pleasantly surprised to find that while filling out paperwork etc.. the store has a small arcade with a number of popular games that are free of charge to occupy their time. The store also offers free ice cream, cookies, drinks, coffee and penny candy to all it’s visitors. And the furniture is reasonably priced as well, it’s worth a visit.

#128 From Kristin Spurley

Lands End . . . their guarantee and service qualify as purple goldfish.

Guaranteed. Period.® If you’re not happy with your purchase, simply return it for a refund or replacement. http://www.landsend.com

#130. From Wendy Lewis

Lozano Car Wash in Palo Alto, CA

The carwash that I go to has a popcorn machine and there is always free popcorn and lemonade while you wait.

#132. From Jay Silva of Synergy Events

You wont believe this, but it’s straight from the Garden State.

As we traveled the Garden State Parkway on December 24th, I thought I saw an information board offering free coffee or tea at a Service Stop. Would you know it, 30 plus miles later, it was “confirmed” another board with the message, “take a break stay awake and enjoy a free cup of coffee or tea “. Apparently all Parkway Service Stops extended this offer.

The only thing I can say is, “Forgetta Bout It”, go Jersey!

#134. Pepperidge Farms Factory Store in Norwalk, CT

I was at the Pepperidge Farms Factory store yesterday picking up some things. There was a senior citizen standing in front of me in line buying a few items. Her total bill was $9.96. The clerk informed her that all purchases over ten dollars received a 20% discount and asked her if she’d like to pick out something else. Quickly she made a b-line to the Milano’s (good choice) which essentially were free once he factored in the discount. I could tell she left with a smile on her face and a bounce in her step.

Those Milano’s were an unexpected surprise and I can almost guarantee you that she will recount that story a few times. Turns out the folks at Pepperidge Farm make purple goldfishes both literally and figuratively.

http://www.pondmessenger.com/pondmessenger/enews/images/0004039_190.jpg

From Drew McLellan of MMG http://mclellanmarketing.com from his post on marketing lagniappe http://www.drewsmarketingminute.com/2009/12/whats-your-marketing-lagniappe.html

Let me give you a few examples from the McLellan Marketing Group culture:

#136. Fresh baked cookies: If you come to a meeting at MMG, you’re going to be served warm (fresh from the oven) M&M cookies. An added dash of double lagniappe — the M&Ms in the cookies are only the three colors (purple, green & orange) from the MMG logo.

#137. Who Loves Ya Baby Day? For years, we’ve had an internal celebration for Valentine’s Day called Who Loves Ya Baby Day (think Telly Savalas for those of you old enough to remember Kojak). Now — we share that celebration with our MMG clients. On Valentine’s Day — each client receives a special Valentine’s treat with a note from us — telling them how much we love them. Yup — love them. If we don’t love them, we don’t want to work with them.

#138. Charity Adoption: Every year, as an agency we put out an RFP (last year we have over 50 applicants) and adopt a charity for an entire year. We ask some of our vendors to join us and in total, the charity will receive over $100,000 of marketing counsel, design, help and stuff.

Hey Kicker,
The plan is to continue until I reach at least 1,001 examples. Have you seen any purple goldfish?
Best,
Stan

From Mark True – Brand Warrior and Copywriter @ McLellan Marketing Group (http://mclellanmarketing.com)

#141. On the two occasions I stayed there, The Hotel Burnham in downtown Chicago left me a bottle of wine and then a bottle of root beer with a personal note from the manager. The root beer was the second gift, after I thanked them for the wine and told them that I’m not a wine drinker after the first visit!

#142. Midwest Airlines has the chocolate chip cookie lagniappe down pat…sometimes, the aroma fills the airplane while you’re boarding.

#145. From Jay Silva

HSBC had a nice purple goldfish for customers. They did 23 days of complimentary gift wrapping at Columbus Circle in NYC.

http://urbanspacenyc.squarespace.com/columbus-circle/

#147. IKEA gets a nod for Smaland

It’s New Years and I needed to buy the boys some down comforters. Head to IKEA with Thomas (my oldest who is almost 4) while younger bro (James 2) is doing his afternoon nappy. Dreading the upcoming struggle of dragging Thomas through the wonderful maze that is IKEA.
Enter NIRVANA.
I head through the doors and notice the play area by the entrance. IKEA provides a free service where kids can play supervised while you shop. Talk about a relevant, unexpected, limited, expression of stickiness. This service has PURPLE GOLDFISH written all over it.
Thank you IKEA.
Here is a great post on the inside skinny on Smaland:
http://www.aparentinsilverspring.com/2008/01/ikea-smland-inside-report.html
Can a purple goldfish increase sales? Check out this article by the NY Times . . . seems like there might be direct correlation:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/11/garden/11ikea.html

#149. Disney wants you to ‘give’ to ‘get’

Starting today in 2010, if you give a day of volunteer service to a participating organization, you’ll get one day of free admission to a Disney Park. It’s a first-of-its-kind program we’re calling “Give a Day, Get a Disney Day.”

And yes, it’s that simple — a free one-day ticket to a Disneyland or Walt Disney World theme park for guests who volunteer a day of service to a participating organization. We’re celebrating you and the good things you do for your communities.

Nice one Mickey and Crew!!!
http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2009/09/give-a-day-of-volunteer-service-in-2010-get-a-day-of-disney-theme-park-fun-–-free/

#151 From Jaime Romero

High Voltage Tattoo (Kat Von D’s shop on LA Ink) had a free photobooth for customers. After your tattoo was done, you had a chance to take a picture in the booth to capture the moment, which in most cases was happiness and excitement.

#155 From Scott Monty on Ford via Twitter (@ScottMonty)

For most of 2009, Ford donated $20 to Susan G. Komen for every test drive taken http://ww5.komen.org/ContentHeaderOnly.aspx?id=6442451059

[Editors Note: I sought out Scott because I follow him on Twitter (you should if you aren't already) and told him that the imports were dominating the conversation on 'The Purple Goldfish Project'. He was kind enough to look into what Ford was doing and he shared the Komen pinkish purple goldfish. Probably unfair to ask Scott as most lagniappe for the auto category is happening on the dealer level and not corporate. That said - if there are 'best practices' to share, I know Scott will find and share them. Thanks Scott. You lived up to your billing as open, accessible and responsive]

From Peter Sommerfield

#157. Classic Barber in Greenwich, CT offers free expresso and other coffees as well as flavored shots and sambuca to their patrons

[Editors Note: My favorite Sambuca shot . . . The Statue of Liberty]

#164 From John Phelps III

Sushi Time

“I travel for work about once a month to Southern Delaware. If I happen to drive past Smyrna DE, about a half hour from my office, I always try to stop at this great sushi joint right off the highway called Sushi Time. The fish is always fresh and the service is always friendly, but what I think is really cool is the sushi chef aways gives you a different free appetizer before your order is ready. It is always something really delicious, always different, and in any other resturant it could be a $4-6 plate.

I always go back and I tell everyone about the place.”

http://www.scsuntimes.com/news/business/x576548226/Sushi-Time-restaurant-brings-Japanese-cuisine-to-Smyrna

From Dawn Westerberg

#168. MIP

Courtesy of DWesterberg’s Blog. Click here for the full post: http://dwesterberg.wordpress.com/2010/01/07/my-purple-goldfish/

” . . . So here’s my Purple Goldfish story.

I was Marketing VP for MIP, a publisher of fund accounting software for nonprofits and government agencies, and we were making our first appearance at an ITA event back in the late 90s. The event is for Software publishers, reseller/consulting organizations and CPAs. How were we going to make an impact? Be memorable? Stand out from the crowd?

Rather than opt for the typical sponsorship options we decided to invest in promotional item with a logo. We wanted to have a “gift” for every single attendee (approx. 150). The goal was to have everyone remember us. This first year we purchased battery operated misting fans.

During the opening cocktail party, all we asked of the attendees was to repeat the MIP pledge “MIP puts the Fun in Fund Accounting” to receive the misting fan. We had people lined up, laughing, taking the pledge.

The result was that they remembered us – our name and our product. Later, when they had an inquiry from a nonprofit, they sent it our way. Our referrals spiked. Also, a few of the attendees later on decided to become authorized on our product.

It was so successful that we upped our investment and continued the gift/pledge routine at subsequent ITA conferences. Prizes over the next few conferences included an AM/FM radio/flashlight (it was really cool to see attendees at the putt-putt golf event that night shout out what channel to tune into so that each attendee had the same music blaring), a pen with each attendees name engraved on it (we got the pre-registration list to do this and for those who registered late offered to have one made for them and sent later), athletic bags monogrammed with the attendees initials. Before handing out the gifts we asked them to make the MIP pledge.

It’s been 8 or 9 years since those days, but just this December when speaking at ITA on social media, I was introduced as the one who put the fun in fund accounting. Cool.”

[Great post Dawn - thanks. You keyed on a the 5th ingredient which is being sticky, i.e. how do you stick out and be remembered. I appreciate you taking the time to walk your readers through the concept. You mentioned it was worth 'getting'. Mark Twain took a similar stance. This is his quote from 'Life on the Mississippi', "We picked up one excellent word--a word worth traveling to New Orleans to get." I wholeheartedly agree]

#170 WineLibrary.com

I had the privilege of attending a MENG (Marketing Executives Networking Group) meeting in Morristown, NJ today. Gary Vaynerchuk was the guest speaker. @garyvee was awesome in his typical ‘no holds barred’ fashion [Three words describe his talk - Tree Men Dous]
I had the opportunity to ask Gary a question during the Q+A:
“If there is nowhere for a brand to hide given the relatively new emergence of social media, how do brands avoid situations where the majority of the tweets or posts about them are negative? It looks like that when the brands end up engaging online, that they inevitably look like they are apologizing alot.”
Gary essentially said that businesses needed to ‘adopt a small town’ philosophy of service.
He then relayed a recent example of this with WineLibrary.com (a purple goldish). He talked about how an order was screwed up via FedEx, not WineLibrary’s fault but that didn’t matter to the customer. A Wine Library staffer drove the shipment down south 3 hours to the Jersey Shore and hand delivered it to the customer. That customer immediately reached out to his network over 3 or 4 tweets to laud WineLibrary.com and recommend them ‘hands down’ over the competition.”

[Editors Note: Gary eluded that there might be some other 'branded acts of kindness' coming down the proverbial New Jersey Turnpike. He talked about the next major snow storm for Jersey and the possibility of shoveling the driveways of his best customers. That's a purple goldfish I'd like to see]

From Mary K. Morgan @ Java Journal Online:

172. Slay’s on Hampton (St. Louis) “Some restaurants have gone the lagniappe route and give you more than you order. Slay’s on Hampton used to bring out an elaborate appetizer tray with fresh hummus, relishes, cheese, olives and bread. Never ordered, it was just a nice gesture from the owners given to customers to nibble on while they waited for their meal. And what a treat it was to the hungry diner!”

173. Mr. Demas (Greek Shopkeeper) “Ethnic restaurants seem to be more into the lagniappe spirit. Often, a little specialty dessert will be offered after a meal, or a taste of some foreign delicacy to entice customers into ordering it on their next visit. Or, it could be much more. Mr. Demas, a Greek shopkeeper in our neighborhood, always put a little copper coffee pot on the stove when a favorite customer came in to shop. The thick, rich, exotic beverage was a token of goodwill that he offered freely. And it worked. New flavors and textures, offered in good spirit as a special gift, are met with delight by grateful customers and diners.”

Click here for the full post: http://www.javajournalonline.com/articles/art_lagniappe_092009.php
Here is how she closed out the post, “What a shame that thirteenth roll or cookie has gone the way of the corner bakery. In today’s pre-packaged world, little thought is given to adding a small bonus item to an order. Many restaurants are parts of large chains and franchises where little is done without parent company approval. But, if you frequent “mom and pop” establishments, you just might get a little extra something from time to time.”

#174 From Rich Raymond

Velocity Sports Performance

“During 2004 to 2009 at Velocity Sports Performance in Trumbull, CT, whenever an athlete enrolled in a training program he/she was given a T-shirt with the VSP logo. Our athletes, mainly age 8-18, loved them and they also served as extra marketing for the center.”

#176. From Jennifer Richardson, who shares an article from Harriet Baskas at USA Today on Airports:

http://www.usatoday.com/travel/columnist/baskas/2010-01-13-unusual-airport-freebies_N.htm

Fort Wayne International Airport

“Larry Thompson arrived at Fort Wayne International Airport one day back in 1988, walked out the front door of the small terminal and took a deep breath. “Instead of smelling jet fuel,” he remembers, “I smelled the cookies from the bakery across the street.”

The aroma gave Thompson a reassuring, “welcome home” feel. So when the airport marketing committee needed a low-cost way to promote the facility, Thompson suggested a campaign involving those cookies. Phone calls were made. A bulk cookie order was placed. And soon volunteers armed with goody-filled wicker baskets were on duty inside the terminal offering arriving passengers an enthusiastic “Welcome to Fort Wayne” greeting – and a complimentary, individually-wrapped, locally-baked cookie.

More than ten years later; volunteers at Fort Wayne International Airport still give out free cookies; up to 100,000 a year. And this past December, TV crews and well-wishers were on hand when volunteers presented the airport’s millionth free cookie to an unsuspecting, but appreciative passenger. Arriving home on a snowy day after a trip to Florida with her husband, Fort Wayne resident Lorraine Leach not only got a free snack, but a prize package that included 25,000 airline frequent flier miles, locally-made gourmet chocolates and, of course, a big box of the airport’s signature sugar cookies.

Do cookies = customers?

Everyone, except maybe travelers trying to stay on a diet, loves getting those free cookies. But in these tough economic times, when every penny counts, does it make sense for an airport to spend $15,000 a year buying cookies?

Dave Young thinks so. Although he admits he thought someone was trying to sell him something the first time he was offered a free cookie at FWA, he says he soon realized it was a sincere, Midwest welcome. And now that it is his job to drum up business for the airport, Young sees those cookies as a valuable marketing tool. “We’re a small, non-descript, typical airport,” says Young, “And although fares are often cheaper at Indianapolis International Airport and other airports that are just a few hours drive from here, free cookies and other amenities, such as free Wi-Fi and our free Skycap service, help us differentiate our airport as a friendly and very customer-oriented place.”

#181. From Jean Conway for Endless.com

I love the concept and project.

Here is my fav example:
Endless.com
Free Overnight Shipping AND free Returns

I will continue to follow your project.

[Editors Note: Thanks Jean. Great service never goes out of style]

#183. Mentioned to me by Kevin Adler

Maxwell House brews up a branded act of kindness

According to the Associated Press back in 2007:
“The busiest travel day of the year is here, and a coffee company is hoping to make the ride a little easier.
Maxwell House announced it will pay the fares of drivers exiting the Pennsylvania Turnpike at the Monroeville exit near Pittsburgh and the Valley Forge Interchange near Philadelphia.
In all, eight cities including Chicago, Boston, Dallas and Atlanta are participating in the promotion from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. Wednesday.
The coffee company is passing out samples of Maxwell House coffee at the tolls, too.
Maxwell House also plans to donate up to $100,000 to the food bank system known as America’s Second Harvest.”

Full post at adland @ http://adland.tv/content/maxwell-house-gives-toll-house

[Editors Note: I generally loathe random acts of kindness under the guise that very few are actually original, targeted or meaningful to the brand. They also aren't replicable due to the axiom, 'Once is witty, twice is sh*tty'. I like this one by Maxwell House (see link above for pictures of the cool collateral piece), but how cool would this program be if it were Nestle 'Toll' House cookies around the holidays. That would be sweet]

#185 From a blog post on Lost Remote by Mark Brooks

A friend of mine, Brian Forth, recently made a reservation at the Hotel Murano in Tacoma, Wash. The hotel was just voted No. 6 on the Condé Nast Traveler’s Reader’s Choice list, a distinction that puzzled many locals (and everyone in nearby, and more cosmopolitan, Seattle). But maybe the award was earned through the amazing customer service – and social media connections – from the hotel staff.

After making the reservation, Brian tweeted about how he was looking forward to having a staycation with his wife in honor of his birthday. When the couple entered the hotel, they were greeted by name and given an automatic upgrade at no charge. When they entered the room, they found a welcome package including gourmet cupcakes. Naturally, Brian tweeted some more about all the nice surprises.

Upon check-in, he inquired about whether the hotel shuttle would ferry he and his wife to a local steakhouse for dinner. Later, he posted the same question on Twitter. About 3 minutes afterward, the phone rang in his room and the concierge informed him that the shuttle would be available whenever it was needed.

So Brian tweeted again. And the culmination of those tweets, from a respected local business owner, had arguably more marketing power than any local advertisement the hotel could have purchased with the money they spent making Brian and his wife happy. Think about it: the cupcakes cost $5, the rest of it was just awareness and hustle.

[ Full post @ http://www.lostremote.com/2010/01/15/social-media-powers-local-word-of-mouth-marketing/ ]

#193. From Jaime Romero

New Country VW in Greenwich. They wash your car after service.

[Editors Note: Thanks Jaime. So far Audi, BMW and Lexus have been listed for the free car wash. From my personal experience I know that Mercedes Benz of Fairfield also washes your car with service. Two questions: First - are the US manufacturers doing this? Second - if everyone is doing this, does this just become akin to how we view the 13th bagel in the Bakers Dozen? It's expected and no longer purple]

#196. From John Phelps Jr.

Purchasing Power
Atlanta Georgia
Douglas Rooker, Marketing Director

Here’s a submission. Interesting twist — a purple gold fish, not at
point of purchase, but a point of sales presentation…
Purchasing Power is a company that has developed an interesting
employee benefit. It’s an alternative purchasing plan for employees and their families. Anyway, the company markets to HR Directors and Employee Benefit Managers at mid-size to large employers. The Marketing VP has developed an interesting Sales Lagniappe. When a decision maker takes a meeting or sits through a presentation on their program, he does a nice Thank You Note to the person with a couple of note pads — they simply say “From the Desk of — and the person’s name”. No advertising, no contact info, nothing. What a simple, but notable gesture. I’ve had marketing reps call on me for 34 years. This
guy got my attention in a big way.
Relevant
Unexpected
Limited
Expression of Gratitude
Sticky.

#198. From Jordan Katz

Odwalla(r) Teams with State Parks Across the Nation for Greener Future

The Odwalla Plant a Tree program allows people to donate trees,
free of charge, to local State Park systems

Half Moon Bay, Calif., May 27, 2009 – Helping the environment just got a little easier. You don’t have to get down and dirty this summer to help plant trees in state parks. With the ease of a mouse click, the Plant a Tree program allows you to choose one of 11 state park systems where you would like Odwalla to plant a tree.

Visitors to http://www.parkvisitor.com/odwalla can make a donation by choosing their preferred state. No contribution or registration is required.

Odwalla is donating $100,000 worth of trees to be planted in state parks in California, New York, Florida, Pennsylvania, Colorado, Utah, Ohio, Texas, Maryland, Michigan and Virginia. The trees will be used to support important reforestation and planting initiatives across the country.

“The Odwalla Plant a Tree program is part of our commitment to respecting the earth and nourishing the body, mind and spirit,” said Chris Brandt, Odwalla vice president of marketing. “We know that outdoor activities are very important to Odwalla consumers. The Plant a Tree program allows us to support something we all believe in — a healthy environment for generations to come.”

The Odwalla Plant a Tree program runs from May 27, 2009 through December 31, 2009. The species of trees donated will vary by region and will be planted in fall 2009 and early 2010.

“The Odwalla Plant a Tree program is very important to our state parks across the country,” said Ruth Coleman, director of California State Parks. “So many people want to do things to help our environment and Odwalla is making it really easy to have a positive impact.”

Debuting in 2008, the Odwalla Plant a Tree program already has provided more than 60,000 trees to state parks across the country. Trees donated through the 2008 program were planted through volunteer and other events at local parks.

#200 From Shelley Grosman

Ray Catena Lexus

“Ray Catena always provides a free car wash with your service. This is a great, but there were a few times where they went above and beyond with this service. One time I needed to pick the car up and it had not been washed as of yet. Instead of making we wait they provided me with a voucher to get my car washed down the street. Just yesterday I went in and they explained that they weren’t able to was the car due to the steady rain during the day. Instead they filled my tank with gas on the house.”

#202. An LOL example from Sam Rothman

Hey there Stan. I’ve enjoyed reading a lot of the purple goldfish examples out there (glad Gene is #1), and thought I’d add my own obscure example.

In Moscow, when you are “asked” to pay a bribe to the traffic police and you don’t have enough money on you, they will kindly drive you, in their police car, to the nearest ATM so that you can “pay your fine”. Now that’s the type of “service” that almost makes you want to get stopped by the police.

Purple Goldfish, indeed.

Best,
Sam

#204. Submitted by Eileen Scully

adidas (from an article in Brandweek)

Taking their cue from cereal makers like Kellogg and General Mills and Cracker Jack, which pioneered the idea in 1911, sneaker makers are including a little something extra in their shoe boxes.

adidas, Nike, Reebok and New Balance have all recently started including in-box codes and other methods that let consumers get an experience that goes beyond wearing their new shoes. adidas is the latest to jump on the trend. On Feb. 10, adidas Originals sneakers will include a code that lets consumers partake in an augmented reality program.

The adidas initiative, via agency Sid Lee and Metaio, which developed the AR component, centers on a virtual neighborhood that the footwear maker created as part of its brand identity and ongoing campaign themed “celebrating originality.” Five sneaker models (Superstar, Stan Smith, Samba, Nizza and Forum) with an AR code printed on the tongue will hit exclusive retailers Champs Sports and Eastbay.com starting next month. By holding the code in front of a Webcam, consumers will be able to access the virtual neighborhood and interactive games (created by Xform) at adidas.com/originals.

The move is part of a scheme by adidas Originals to use technology to help sneaker lovers form an emotional connection with the brand, said Chris Barbour, head of digital marketing for adidas Originals. “We think we’re ahead of the curve by using AR in a way that hasn’t been used before—by tying it to a commercial product and online gaming,” Barbour said. “This is about giving consumers an additional benefit.”

[Editors Note: ‘an additional benefit’ . . . a little something extra . . . a purple goldfish. Full article @ http://www.brandweek.com/bw/content_display/news-and-features/digital/e3i68e64a3cf2727350f92301207d9da1bc

#207. J-six

I had the opportunity to visit J-six in San Diego. J-six is a restaurant run by the Kimpton Hotel Group. The conference I was attending was hosting a small networking lunch at J-six. Somehow the lunch order got jumbled and we did not receive a main course. I don’t know if it was the organizer or the restaurant, but suffice to say we walked away with an empty feeling about J-six both literally and figuratively.
Upon my return I received an e-mail from the manager apologizing about the experience. He generously offered to provide a gift certificate, but due to our location (New Jersey) he extended a gift certificate to Nordstrom’s. That was a nice unexpected touch from J-six and the folks at Kimpton. A very purple goldfish indeed.

#209. Submitted by Gibby Hartnett

Clements Marketplace

“At the market that I shop at here in Portsmouth Rhode Island (Clements Marketplace) they do a bunch of “extra” stuff for kids and adults. The one I thought was most impressive is that they will sharpen your knives for free if you bring them in. Just a little something extra that you don’t get at stop and shop or shaws.”

#211. UPS Store

The local UPS store has a nice little extra they offer customers in this tough economy. If you are unemployed they will print 10 copies of your resume and send 3 faxes for free.

#217 From Brittany Bosse from Bloom Processing

“In New Orleans we have a saying. It’s called “lagniappe”. It means “a little something extra”. I’ve been raised by this saying my entire life. I’ve always believed that when you do something or give something, you always do “a little something extra”. That’s how I want to work for you.

I’ll do your first 100 images for free. I’d like to use those first images to get you to try me out. I’d like to use them to get to adapt to your style. Use them as a consultation to build a relationship with you as a client. It’s your images, they should reflect you. Many companies charge extra for this. Not me. It’s just Lagniappe. It’s part of what make me different from everyone else.

Send me 100 of your images. I can’t wait to work with you, to give you more time to give your clients “a little something extra”.

Laissez les bon temps rouler!”

Check out http://www.bloomprocessing.com

#219. PHD

There is a media buy agency in New York City named PHD. I had the opportunity to visit a friend there a few years ago. There was one thing that really caught my attention when I visited there offices. On the walls they had different pieces of art. Each piece represented a client they served. In each frame they found a way to incorporate a picture of whoever was the lead from the client. A nice and personal purple touch from the folks at PHD.

#227. From Andrew Lock of ‘Help . . . My Business Sucks’

Arby’s

Arby’s wants to give you a free roastbeef sandwich. Each receipt has a bold call to action. Fill out a customer survey and you receive a voucher for a free sandwich.

#229. Rimsky-Korsakoffee House in Portland, OR

Haunted tables and freaky bathroom at this coffee house with no sign.

Taken from a comment on Yelp.com:

Hidden coffee house is late night must

If some friends hadn’t brought me here one late night after dinner out, I would have never known about it. It’s in a converted Victorian house with no signage out front to give a hint that you’ve found the right place. That’s just part of the charm on the outside. On the inside, you’ll find cool tables that all sport some funky secret to them, but it’d be mean to spoil them here, so I’ll let you find out for yourself.

I highly recommend their desserts here. I had this dense, chocolate mousse bowl, and I salivated over every bite. My coffee friends love their creative drinks, and they also offer some tasty tea choices. They have live music on several nights, which just adds to the already funky ambiance. Definitely end your night here with a date, friend or family — it’s great for anyone.

Tip: Tables are hard to come by later at night but hang in there, the wait is worth it.

#233. The Village Market, Submitted by David Haney

Stan-
Good to see you this morning. My Purple Goldfish is from The Village Market in Wilton. They have a sign posted over the exit that says, “No Tipping Please” and goes on to say that they are happy carry your groceries to your car without any consideration of a tip or gratuity. Just part of the experience of shopping there.

Wishing you continued success with the project. And I’ll keep you posted on the progress we are making with USA Fitness Corps.

David

#235. From the folks over at Gaspedal

“College students love Chegg for their cheap textbook rentals, free shipping, and eco-friendly business philosophy.

Chegg believes that renting a book instead of buying it new helps save trees. This isn’t just their corporate mission statement, the company actually functions around this core value. For every book they rent, they plant a tree in return.

As the customer finishes their transaction, Chegg presents a world map and asks the customer to pick a country or region to plant their tree in. It’s a simple, visual way of engaging during the transaction process and giving back to the community at the same time.

Customers can then tell the world what they did by linking their Chegg transaction to their Facebook profile or Twitter account.”

#236. From Joe Sorge (owner of the legendary AJ Bombers)

Stan,
The lagniappe story that I’d like to add is one of the super luxury resort Las Ventanas al Paraiso of the Rosewood group of properties. While the world has come to expect unparalleled facilities and service from this company and this resort in particular, nothing could have prepared my wife and I for the lagniappes we would experience here.

On our very first full day at the resort, while we were enjoying all that Los Cabos has to offer, the guests services group at the resort was busy preparing a personalized mending kit to match our wardrobe! Done in a slightly larger than matchbook sized kit emblazoned with the Las Ventanas logo. We’re quite proud of ours.

As we we’re enjoying cocktails and some late afternoon sunshine poolside our “pool butler” stopped by to offer a freshly iced bucket of bottled water and evian cool water misting spray, of course we gladly accepted. He then proceed to help himself to each of our sunglasses so that he could clean them by hand. It’s at this point that he points out the extensive library of current books, Kindles and Ipods that he has available if we so desire. We were blown away. Not less than 20 minutes later, the poolside service team stops by our sunning station to offer freshly made, ice cold, chocolate coated sorbet! It cannot get better than this.

At the end of each evening as part of the resorts “turn down” service for each suite, they left a small token of each day at the resort. This is a small sand pottery sculpture of some shape or form, one night a starfish, another a seahorse and yet another a sea turtle. We have quite a collection.

My wife and I recall these pieces of marketing lagniappe by this resort very, very fondly and certainly have told this very impressive story many dozens of times. If you’re ever looking to splurge a bit and experience the ultimate in a pampering vacation, please consider the very fine hospitality of Las Ventanas al Paraiso – http://www.lasventanas.com

Joe Sorge
Milwaukee, WI
@ajbombers

#245. Submitted by Will Prest (CMO at Transamerica)

Michael Lynne’s Tennis Shop

“When you pick up your professionally strung racquet, you get a new can of Penn balls with the Michael Lynne Tennis logo and Name in big letters on it. It is a nice gesture, plus his balls are left all over the clubs around town. Here is the website address: http://www.mltennis.com It got me to visit the site and I read a few of the articles on there…they were a nice surprise.”

[Editors Note: This is taken from an article about Michael Lynne's from Cynthia Sherman. Full post at http://www.racquetsportsindustry.com/articles/2007/11/2007_prospecialty_retailer_of.html ]

“…it’s not only about sales. Fully supportive of Minneapolis’ large tennis community, Lynne puts kids’ and local team photos on his back wall along with local tennis stories and news. And he’s happy to offer tennis tips to his customers and encourages them to “test drive” racquets for free.

…Clothing is grouped by size and the price is always visible. Racks are never overcrowded and pieces are displayed on the wall so customers can see them as “outfits.” When customers try on clothes, they find large dressing rooms with excellent lighting. Also, all the employees don various tennis outfits to work so customers can see what the clothes actually look like “on.”

The store also has six stringing machines, so, as Michael notes, “You can have your racquets strung while you wait.” But even “waiting” at Michael Lynne’s Tennis Shop is a pleasure. Customers can watch the Tennis Channel on TV while having a snack or sipping gourmet coffee the shop supplies.

“We’re a destination point,” Lynne says. “People have to drive here, so we want to make sure our staff is well-informed on the merchandise and offers great customer service.”

“Michael and Mimzy personify customer service, and they teach their staff to take this approach,” says Greg Mason, senior director of sales for HEAD. “It’s the little things like greeting each customer, then thanking them as they leave, writing thank-you notes to repeat customers — that really makes the difference.”
The staff, adds Mason, is always upbeat and motivated. “It’s apparent they ‘get it,’” says Mason. “The Minneapolis tennis market is the real winner.”

[Editors Additional Note: ... the little things can really make the biggest difference. AMEN]

#247. Submitted by Laura Posey (@lauraposey)

Dancing Elephants

“I’m a strategic consultant with clients all over the country. After our first consulting session, I send them a book that is hand-picked based on the area they need help with. Each month I send another book to keep them focused on what they really want to accomplish.

The books are not part of the consulting they buy, but rather an extra surprise each month.”

http://www.dancingelephants.net

#249. Submitted by EJ Kritz

Cartridge World

“To begin, we’re in the business of refilling and remanufacturing printer cartridges. We offer a free delivery service to our business customers during which time plenty of things can happen opening the door for added value.

For example, if we’re delivering a cartridge for a laser printer but the businesses fax machine is on the fritz, it’s only natural and fitting that we’ll do anything we can to help get their fax back up and running. Similarly, many of our franchises keep a “toner vac” in their delivery vehicle. This vacuum is specially designed to handle the fine particles in toner. It’s a HUGE benefit to our customers (as silly and small as it sounds) to bring in the toner vac for a complimentary cleaning of their laser printer before we put in their new cartridge. This service is the printer equivalent of getting a free car wash each time you get a tank of gas… it doesn’t help your car run better but it sure does make you feel good.

The last example is something almost universal regardless of which Cartridge World franchise you visit. It’s quite simple actually. Each and every business delivery comes complete with a _Tootsie Pop. _You see, purchasing our product is all about saving money. However, typically the person saving the money (the business owner) is not the same person taking the delivery (the office manager). This little token makes everyone smile in the middle of a busy day! In fact, many of our owners could even tell you the favorite flavor of pop for each of their top customers. Simple, and yes, sweet.”

#251. Submitted by Betty Wolf

Paradise Music http://www.paradisemusic.us.com

“Hello! We are an independent record label company of new age music. Our customers are the mom and pop book stores, gift shops, and unique stores, all mostly being very small. They purchase our CDs and with every title they purchase we send them a freebie (demo) so they can play it in their store if they like. We also send them a free acrylic counter top display case when they order 20 or more to help them have a place to put our product. We give 60 day terms, and do not require a minimum purchase quantity, so if they just want to try out one or two, that’s what we’ll give them (and with the free demos!) And finally, we don’t make them pay for shipping our product to them. We pay the freight. So in a nutshell, our value added little extra gift to them is:

free demos
60 day terms (almost like consignment for them)
no minimums
free display cases
free shipping

Not sure this is what you’re looking for, but it excites us to be able to give our small retailers a better chance for survival….”

#253. Submitted by Julien McRoberts

Julien McRoberts
Editorial, Lifestyle & Architectural Photography
http://www.julienmcroberts.com

“I work as a photographer primarily for interiors and editorial
content. The norm in my industry is that the photographer shows up,
takes the photos and delivers the content. I go one step extra with
my clients and that is I help market their work or project as an extra
bonus. A few of my clients benefitted from that this month as I got
one the cover of the New Mexico Magazine, another I got a 4 page
spread and another co op of artists a 6 page spread in May.
My clients are ecstatic and I additionally pass leads on to them where
appropriate. Images available.”

#255. Submitted by Judy Roberts

Green Dragon Herbals

“Here’s how we do lagniappe. Every order at Green Dragon Herbals http://www.greendragonherbals.com
gets a little something extra in their shipment.

We like to wrap items in tissue and tie with a bow. We like to use
organza gift bags and cute printed cellophane bags. AND we always toss
in a little extra. It might be a tea light candle, or product samples,
but there’s always a little something extra.

I love getting packages in the mail, and I love finding a little
something extra in my order, don’t you?

Just adds a little smile to their day.”

[Editors Note: Nice way of looking at it Judy. Sometimes its not what is given, but how it is given. Love the bows and bags.]

Submitted by Nadine Cualoping

#257. AOL — value-add edit promotion for custom programs / products created for Advertising Partners
#258. Whole Foods – 10 cents credit towards grocery bill for each bag you bring in
#259. Equinox – member appreciation days with free samples, services etc.
#260. NYC MTA – 15% bonus on $8 Metrocards

262. Submitted by Kevin Sudeith

Warrug

“I’m in the Persian rug biz and ‘throwing something in’ at payment is a standard practice, which usually says ‘you overpaid’.
Almost any retail rug seller has stories about this practice.

In my case I throw in a book I wrote about the rugs I sell.”

http://www.warrug.com

#264. Submitted by Nadine Cualoping

Entertainment Weekly

“Entertainment Weekly magazine has an Advance Movie Screening program for subscribers (you have to enroll in the program and it’s first come first served, but it’s a nice perk since you and a friend can see movies for free).”

#266. Submitted by Karen Wylie

Blue Ridge Soap Shed

We are a 12 year old business and include gifts with every order we ship. We provide free samples with all web, phone and mail orders (about 4,000 orders a year), and the number of samples is based on the dollar value of the order.

First time customers were so unaccustomed to receiving something free, that we had to start labeling the gifts AS ‘gifts.’ When we didn’t, we estimate that 20-30% of new customers would call or email us worried that we made a mistake with their order. Some would ask how to return the extra product, others would state in very annoyed emails that they hoped they weren’t charged extra for it.

We quickly realized that our nice gesture had potentially negative consequences for us, because the free gift created a doubt or concern in some customers’ minds about their order, our business, or how we handled their order. So we adopted additional packaging and shipping procedures. All free items we provide now have a gold label that says ‘Thank You’ or ‘Enjoy this Gift’ or ‘With Our Compliments’ so there is NO QUESTION the item is free.

We initially started providing small samples to our web & mail customers as a marketing strategy. We would review a customer’s order, and include free samples of similar scents. Our free gifts have become quite a tradition, and something customers say they look forward to with each delivery. I don’t think this is a gesture we could ever stop making without incurring a negative or disappointing response from our very loyal customers.

Over the years, we extended our tradition to visitors to our retail shop because they asked why our mail order customers got something they did NOT. This required us to create a completely different set of procedures for providing free gifts in the face-to-face retail shop environment.”

Karen Wylie & Tim Tyndall, OwnersThe Blue Ridge Soap Shedwww.soapshed.com, 877-404-SOAP(828) 765-6001

#267. Submitted by Bill Coleman

Bill Coleman Entertainment

“We are a small variety entertainment company based in Denver, CO. We
provide ground acts, strolling acts and attractions including
interactive stilt walkers, Dancing Christmas Trees, 18 foot tall Giant
Parade Puppets, the 14 foot tall solar powered Bubble Tower Sculpture,
and group play activities with Giant Bubbles , the Bubble Petting Zoo
and dozens of old fashioned hand held wood stilts and bucket stilts.

We help build community by entertaining at fairs, festivals, parades,
promotions, celebrations and special events of all kinds within 1000
miles of Denver, CO.

From time to time, we add a “freebie” to the event.

The presenting sponsor of the Denver ST Patrick’s Parade hires us to
help add more excitement to the parade.

In the past, we included an extra Giant Parade Puppet. This year they
are getting an extra Stilt Walker.”

Walking tall and stretching imaginations!

http://www.stiltwalker.com/
http://www.bubbletower.com/

#269. Submitted by Jordan Stark

Moe’s Southwest Grill in New York City

“I thought of you the other day when I grabbed lunch a Moe’s Southwest Grill and was pleased to find that with any of the meals you order you are given free tortilla chips and then can pick from 4 or 5 different types of salsa. This may not sound like much but over Chipotle, the most comparable quick-food mexican restaurant, that would cost you $2.50. Who doesn’t love some free chips and salsa with their meal??”

#276 from Amy Kaplan

Success Tutoring

“Hi Stan, Thanks for the wonderful presentation. I send welcome cards to the parents when they choose me as a tutor. Then, I am sure to send birthday cards to each of my students (and long after they are no longer my students). I also send graduation cards.”

Amy L. Kaplan
Success Tutoring, LLC

http://www.SuccessTutoringLLC.com
Amy [at] SuccessTutoringLLC.com

Submitted by Rob Gallo via a superb article on TripAdvisor:
http://www.tripadvisor.com/InfoCenter-a_ctr.amenities

#282. Hotel Gansevoort, New York, NY – Fun and games at the Gansevoort. Free Sony PSP and Nintendo Wii use for guests. Or, check out a Digital Book Reader.
#283. W South Beach, Miami Beach, FL – The Whatever/Whenever® service gives you a free lift about town in the hotel’s Acura MDX.
#284. CuisinArt Resort & Spa, Anguilla, Caribbean – “You might just find a bottle of great rum in your room…and a bowl of their home grown cherry tomatoes.”
#285. Hotel Max, Seattle, WA – “I loved the “pillow menu” with such options as “body,” “reading,” and “U-shape,” along with the more conventional soft, firm, medium firm, etc. I also liked the “spiritual menu,” with a list of religious reading matter they would provide.”
#286. Lisloughrey Lodge, County Mayo, Ireland –
“..a Wii room, Wellies, umbrellas and walking maps for guests, which I thought was a really nice touch.”
“child-sized bathrobes, and gourmet cookies with names iced on each for all 3 kids!”
#287. Hotel Erwin, Los Angeles, CA – “‘Ink & Stay’ package, with a $100 tattoo voucher to use at a neighbourhood tattoo shop. I even got a free bottle of Patron tequila…”
#288. Fairmont Copley Plaza, Boston, MA – “The Fairmont Copley has something that no other hotel in the area has – the beautiful dog (black lab) named Catie who hangs out in the lobby to greet guests – what a sweet dog.”
#289. Opus Hotel – Vancouver, BC – “The room had some fun and funky features that included a peek-a-boo window from the bedroom into the washroom, brightly painted walls, and comic books for reading. It also had unusual minibar amenities that includes a logo’d hat and plastic-wrapped novels. Best of all, our dog was welcomed with a surprise package that included treats, accessories and Modern Dog magazine. The hotel oozes personality.”
#290. Hotel Monaco – Chicago, IL – “The staff is friendly and helpful, even going so far as to hand us umbrellas as we headed out the door on a rainy day. Rooms are clean, and boast a hip decor. I especially loved the plush animal-print bath robes, available to each guest. Turn down service was a bonus. We arrived back to the hotel each evening to find ice in our ice bucket, the bed turned down with chocolates on our pillows, relaxing jazz music playing in our room, and the lights dimly lit. WOW! In addition, the wine hour each evening made our stay over the top.”

#297. Taken from a blogpost by Ken Lempit at http://www.homeesp.com

American Expres

“If you carry one of the many American Express charge and credit cards, you should think twice before purchasing an extended warranty on most purchases. The majority of the AMEX cards provide a free one-year extension to manufacturers’ warranties of five years or less (so, for example, that really nice camera you bought your niece now has a two-year warranty built-in). While there are tems and conditions (as with most things in life) Amex seems to be very generous in how it treats cardmembers in good standing.

Getting back to my niece, I bought her a $240 camera and it lasted just over a year before it seized up (with its lens extended as if in “perpetual zoom”). I called AMEX, described its condition, and promptly recieved a statement credit for the full purchase amount. In this case, my result was actually better than a manufacturer’s warranty, where you would usually receive your repaired camera or a refurbished unit is response to a warranty claim. You should expect that for costlier items, Amex will likely repair the item instead of issuing a credit.

It appears that this coverage is included with every card issued by Amex, including credit cards (its charge cards require balances to be paid in full each months, credit cards can carry a balance from month to month).

Since extended warranties can cost 15 to 20 percent or more of the original purchase price, this is a great benefit of holding an American Express Card. Many friends have questioned the value of a card where you still have to pay a membership fee. This card benefit has worked well for me over the years and is another reason why I still carry “the card.”

#301. Submitted by Brad Bossow

Chipotle

Brad shared that he encountered a unique experience at Chipotle in New Jersey. While waiting in a long line he was offered a cup for a complimentary drink from the restaurant. A little something extra while you wait.

#303 From Jack Campisi

Boston Market

Jack was confronted with having to wait 5 minutes for the next batch of chicken. Solution: Boston Market offered a free drink while he waited. Nice touch.

#307. Heineken

Heineken Experience

For 15 euros you can tour the Heineken Brewery in Amsterdam. The tour is called the Heineken Experience. It’s a tremendous value as your tour includes a few beers. Before you leave you are treated to a little lagniappe. Each person receives a limited edition gift. During my days in Amsterdam they handed out a limited edition Heineken glass in a branded tin can. Now they allow you to personalize a bottle of Heineken. Very cool.

#311. Submitted by Mana Ionescu

Lightspan Digital’s Fortune Cookie

“Hi! I love your purple goldfish project and I’d like to share with you my purple goldfish.

I recently started a small social media and email marketing business in Chicago, Lightspan Digital. I work with small businesses to get them started with social media, or to help them find that big idea that will take their digital marketing to the next level. Most of my clients aren’t technical at all, may be a bit skeptical about Social Media and are looking for very clear, simple and direct guidance. To help them I developed the Daily Twitter Workout and the Twikies(r), which I give out for free.

The Daily Twitter Workout is a simple checklist of five daily activities, such as retweet two tweets, chat with two new tweeps, always say thank you, etc., to help any beginner get into a Twitter routine.

But my most successful purple gold fish is the Twitter cookie, aka the Twikies(r). These are custom-made chocolate-dipped fortune cookies that contain marketing messages. They are fun to look at, tasty, and informative, plus they get people excited to discuss and know more about their marketing tips. People absolutely love them.

Here are some of the Twitter reactions:

RT @liraluis: A Take-Away Message fr #ChiTwestival came inside a fortune cookie fr @manamica “Email #marketing still drives the highest ROI”
Mar 26 2010, 16:00 UTC from HootSuite

RT @refrigeration: Thanks for fortune cookie! “The word you in tweets gets most retweets!” @manamica
Mar 26 2010, 13:00 UTC from HootSuite

RT @el_chorizo: @manamica Looks like it’s already been said but awesome job with the fortune cookies! You’re a rock star in my book
Mar 26 2010, 3:25 UTC from TweetDeck, in reply to manamica

RT @liraluis: Love your custom designed fortune cookie @manamica! Fantastic colors #ChiTwestival http://twitpic.com/1ax57t
Mar 26 2010, 2:40 UTC from HootSuite

I am really looking forward to reading your book, regardless of whether my purple goldfish makes it in or not ;P.

The best of luck to you!

Thanks!

Mana
manamica.com
@manamica

#313. Jerry Remy’s Bar and Grill from Ron Reisman

11 foot TV’s and some little extras with your season passes (taken from NESN.com)

Jerry Remy’s Sports Bar and Grill opened Sunday — just in time to toast a cold one to Opening Day and, more importantly, the Red Sox’ first victory over the New York Yankees. The restaurant, a block away from Fenway Park on Boylston Street, opened its doors for the first time to the bar’s season-ticket holders and fans who weren’t fortunate enough to score seats to the sold-out game.

For $500, fans can purchase “season passes” for a guaranteed table for the Red Sox’ 81 home games. The passes offer a nice perk when you think of the lines trying to get into Cask’n Flagon or Bleacher Bar on a mid-July afternoon. With the pass also comes a free drink and $25 worth of food.

Fans also can buy away game season passes for the same price. Pass holders are allowed to bring as many friends as they’d like. One customer brought 17 people, but as the restaurant’s general manager Don Bailey saw it, 17 happy friends equals 17 new customers and brand ambassadors who can spread the word.

According to The New York Times, as of Sunday, all 150 home game passes had been sold, and 60 were still available for when the Sox are out of town.

Jerry Remy, Bailey and John Mascia, a managing partner at the restaurant, all agreed that the opening night for the Red Sox and the Grill were a success.

The restaurant has the feel of Fenway Park with brick and exposed columns, but the best features are two 11-feet-long high-definition televisions, costing $225,000 each, that hang over the bar. And for those who drank too many Sam Adams, fear not: The men’s room has a television.

Remy, who is beginning his 23rd season as NESN’s Red Sox color commentator, hopes the restaurant will attract a year-round fan base celebrating all Boston sports.

“There’s no question that we’re looking at more places, probably not on the scale of this, but the same idea,” Remy told the Times.

On Monday, Mayor Thomas Menino christened the restaurant by throwing out a ceremonial pitch, The Boston Globe reports.

The new spot is a great alternative to expensive seats and crowds. And not to jump the gun, but it is a perfect location to view the duck boats.

#315. Submitted by Claire Gallo

Whole Foods

Claire shared the story of shopping at her local Whole Foods in West Hartford, CT. She decided to buy a metal water bottle at the store as they were on sale for $9.99. As the cashier was ringing up her purchase Claire noticed the bottle came up as $19.99. She brought it to the attention of the cashier and inquired about the mistake. The cashier quickly apologized for the error. Instead of fixing the price she told Claire that it was the policy of the store was to give the item for free if there was a price discrepancy. It just so happened that the Whole Foods was also collecting money for Haiti. Claire promptly donated the $10 dollars she just saved to the cause. A win-win situation.

[Editors Note: Kudos to Whole Foods for taking that extra step when they've made a mistake. A nice example of lagniappe]

#317. Submitted by Mary Ann Baehr

Wawa

WAWA (after the Canadian bird…..not a baby crying)
It’s a regional convenience store (570 stores), sells 195 MILLION cups of coffee sales per year

HERE’S why I like it and visit it so much….. NO ATM FEE

Tomorrow will celebrate its BILLIONTH such transaction!

I ALWAYS avoid ATM fees by using theirs…..they are consistently clean and quick.

From WAWA web site
“Our Core Values…”

Value People
Delight Customers
Embrace Change
Do the Right Thing
Do Things Right
Passion for Winning

#319. Submitted by Kelly Ketelboeter of http://www.theexperiencefactor.com

Zappos

“Zappos delivers a purple goldfish to customers by upgrading their shipping for next day arrival. I also think that offering free shipping back for items you don’t want, like or don’t fit is a purple goldfish. Not many companies pay for shipping back.”

Taken from an article on NYTimes.com

#327. Champers at David Yurman

“They’re offering a glass of Champagne as you enter David Yurman,”
- Kate Kreindler, a suburban student, referring to the high-priced jewelry store on Madison Avenue.

[Editors Note: As the French say, "If you say NO to champagne . . . you say NO to life"]

#328. Macy’s Return Sticker

At Macy’s, where the sales floor at this time of year looks something like a commodities exchange, executives recognized that people seeking to return an unwanted gift — an ugly wallet, a goofy sweater — do not want to offend the gift giver by asking for the receipt, and are frustrated that without one, many stores refund only the lowest price of the sale season. So Macy’s associates recently began affixing a small return sticker to each purchase, with a bar code that tells the amount that was paid.”

#329. Bergdorf Goodman’s ‘Branded Act of Kindness’

“Bergdorf sent out $100 gift cards, no strings attached, to some of its best customers this fall.”

[Full article at http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/22/style/22service.html?pagewanted=2&sq=SALT%20&st=cse&scp=3&%20Pepper%20Group ]

From Mindy Luebke from The Paperwork Assistants

#331. Busse Automotive

“My local car repair, Busse Automotive in Mt Prospect, IL. washes my van for free after any work is done.”

[Footnote: This evening, I mentioned to my husband that I submitted ideas to your project. He reminded me that not only does Busse Automotive wash my filthy suburbanite mom mini-van but Mark Busse, the owner, personally sends a hand-written thank you for our business]

#332. Metropolis Performing Arts

“We have season tickets to our local theater, Metropolis Performing Arts in Arlington Heights, IL. When we receive the tickets in the mail, included are round Metroplis stickers that I can use to put on my calendar to remember our theater nights.”

#334. From Jack Campisi

ESPN Zone

“The bathrooms in the ESPN all have TV’s. You are guaranteed never to miss a moment of the action . . . even while you are doing your business”

[Editor's Note: Remember Jack . . . the job isn't finished until the paperwork is done]

#336. From Marty Desmond who left a comment on the post, ‘What is Your Purple Goldfish’ at http://www.theexperiencefactor.com

Gumba’s on Murphy Street in Sunnyvale, CA.

Kelly,

I went for breakfast, with friends, at one of our favorite places Saturday. We sat outdoors for the first time since street construction began months ago. As we were served, I watched how much fun the employees were having. I told my friends that it was great seeing the restaurant busy again and that I knew the construction hurt much of the business on that block.

I went back Tuesday evening for a quick dinner. As I was eating, the owner came up, patted me on the back and thanked me for my business Saturday morning. Then, he told me how happy he was to see my friends and inquired about them. He asked if the dad had found another job, knowing that he was laid off months ago.

We talked for a few moments more, and then he patted me on the back again, thanked me once more and walked off. I watched him walk away and thought about why I enjoyed that restaurant so much. The food is great, but it’s the experience that makes it worth going back. I realize that no fewer than 4 of his employees approached my friend to tell them how much they had missed his family. The culture of that business includes personal relationships whenever possible. I think that is a missing ingredient in so many businesses today.

This restaurant has endured 6 months of lagging sales, due to people wanting to stay away during construction. Yet, they were genuinely concerned about the lives of the people who walked through their doors. To me, every question of “how is your friend” is a purple goldfish.

Marty

#340. From Dave Carroll of ‘United Breaks Guitars’

Dave was a keynote speaker at the 2010 NewCommForum. I had a chance to catch up with him to discuss customer experience. He shared a great story about his Mom Sharon who manages all of the sales of his CD’s. Dave talked about how his Mom would knit a dish cloth for fans who bought 3 CD’s. This wasn’t advertised. Imagine the surprise when a fan receive that in the mail with their CD order.

If you haven’t seen Dave’s video (over 8.5 million views) here is the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5YGc4zOqozo

#342. Heather Otto

Scooters

“The barista remembered me. I was running a 1/2 marathon weeks before and he made sure to ask about it: thoughtful”

#347. Submitted by Marty Desmond on the blog ‘The Experience Factor’ (www.theexperiencefactor.com)

Landers Chrysler Jeep

“In 1994, my ex-wife and I read an article about Steve Landers, owner of Landers Chrysler Jeep in Benton, Arkansas. Despite being located in a suburb of Little Rock, a small city, his dealership came within a couple cars from being the #1 Chrysler dealer in terms of # vehicles sold in 1993. In the article was a story about how a teacher once told him that he would not amount to anything. We were impressed with his story and decided to buy a car from him.

After we closed the deal, Steve gave us a package that included an invitation to a barbecue two weeks later. At that barbecue, we discovered why he sold so many cars.

The shop was immaculate, with brand new cars located in all of the stalls. As we were eating, one of the employees passed out gift bags which included a mug. Then, Steve got up and thanked everyone for our business. He said that, because he sold so many cars from around the state, some other dealerships did not like him. He offered to, if we ran into problems anywhere in the state, come and pick us and our vehicle up and bring us back. The final extra was to point out that there was one of each vehicle they sold in a service stall. With each vehicle was a mechanic who was ready to demonstrate how to maintain the vehicle, change tires, check fluids, etc.

His business was booming from word of mouth advertising. There was also a coffee mug from the gift bags which I used for 12 years. For 16 years, I’ve been telling that story. The barbecue was very cost effective advertising.”

#351. Submitted by Ted Simon

Starbucks in Terra Linda

“When the line gets really long, it’s common for one of the staff to come out with a tray of complimentary samples of the latest and greatest beverage. A nice treat while you wait in line”.

#353. Taken from Geno Church of Brains on Fire

Fiskars

Each new member of the Fiskars Community “Fiskateer” receives a limited edition pair of scissors. On the scissor is engraved their unique membership #. The scissors are also accompanied by a handwritten note welcoming them into the community.

#358. Virgin America

Virgin teamed up with Google to offer Free Wifi on its flights from November through January.

#360. Submitted by Anne Perschel

Mark at Chaffins Plumbing in Worcester, MA

“1st time out Mark did a quick fix for free. He was honest & won me over. I’ve been using him for 20 + years”

#362 Delta Shuttle from Laguardia

I flew Delta Shuttle today from Laguardia. Delta has a newspaper rack upon entering the commuter terminal. Grab a USA Today, NYT or WSJ compliments of Delta. Nice touch.

#364. Submitted by Jed Langdon from a comment on the post “What’s Your Purple Goldfish?”.
http://theexperiencefactor.com/whats-your-purple-goldfish/795/

“Hi Kelly,

I promised a Purple Goldfish and here it is, sorry it has taken so long!

My girlfriend’s father is a HUGE Pizza Express fan and I can now understand why. I’m not sure if you have Pizza Express in the US, but in the UK it is a large Pizza restaurant franchise with over 300 restaurants in the UK (it is called Pizza Marzano in some other countries). He visits his local Pizza Express on average about once a fortnight and is on first name terms with a lot of the staff there. When he walks in the chef usually begins to make his favourite dish, but what is even more impressive is that this is a starter that is no longer on the menu. This is a relationship that has been built up over time through him visiting the restaurant and not because he knows any of the staff, which is often the reason for a customer getting this treatment.

Anyway, a couple of weeks ago, my girlfriend’s father was admitted to hospital (fortunately he is going to be ok) and on hearing about him being in hospital the manager of his local Pizza Express took it upon herself to surprise him with his favourite pizza! She contacted the Pizza Express which was closest to the hospital and asked them to make and deliver the pizza to the hospital, free of charge. This is one of the kindest and most generous acts I have seen from a business, and nobody had expected this sort of thought and effort. Talk about making a customer feel valued, special and delivering service way above and beyond expectations!

Another great post Kelly, keep up the brilliant work!”

See all comments on Kelly’s post here:
http://theexperiencefactor.com/whats-your-purple-goldfish/795/#comments

From a talk today at a MENG chapter meeting by Mark Snyder, CMO of Kmart

#366. Sears Price Matching – Want to check prices when you are shopping for appliances at Sears. No problem – they’ll look up competitors online and match any price. Nice value

#367. K Mart has a program called K-Ching where they randomly reward customers at the cash register. If a customer uses a ‘Shop My Way Rewards card there are eligible. The point of sale system notifies the cashier if the customer is selected. The customer is then invited to press down the K-Ching button. Music comes on and the customer is told what they’ve won. Prizes range from products to a huge honking check for $5,000.

#369. Taken for Chip Bell’s site:

Wayzata Dental

A 60-year-old, 20+ person dental clinic in Wayzata, Minnesota, envisions their goal: to become the Nordstrom of dentistry. Dr. Jason McDowell, the clinic’s owner since 2004, has pursued that goal with a passion, and he has succeeded. Warm smiles with a lively “Hello, John!” greet you as you walk in the door. Amenities are offered to each guest on arrival. They may choose to relax with a heated neck pillow, listen to an iPod, hook up to WiFi,or watch a movie during the visit. The reception area contains three flat-screen televisions (listened to via headsets so as not to disturb the other guests). There are Xbox 360 video games and a virtual aquarium. A refreshment bar completes the anti-dentist office feel.”

#371. A comment from Courtney on Kelly’s post, “What’s Your Purple Goldfish?” by Kelly Ketelboeter

iTreadmill

“Here is my purple goldfish: I have an Ipod app called iTreadmill. There is a function that allows me to email my fitness/workout stats to myself and copy/paste it into excel for a nice, neat chart. Well, for whatever reason I wasn’t getting the nice. neat chart…so, I emailed the support guy. Within an hour, an I had a response. We then exchanged several more emails trying to troubleshoot the issue. The semi-final result was this: “I know what the problem is. Your email provider seems to be replacing the tabs between each field with spaces. Since Excel is looking for tabs between the fields, it does not separate them.
I’m not sure why the tabs are getting replaced, but I will look into it by creating my own yahoo email acct and trying this out.
If I can’t get it working for you them I will look into what kind of update I may need to do ao that you can use it. I may need to put in a comma separated value format that I’m sure will work. Meanwhile, im sorry for the inconvenience. Will let you know how it goes- may take a day or so to test this out.”

I have NEVER experienced customer service like this before, and was actually quite shocked. Thanks for doing this!”

#373. Schering-Plough Pays for Poison Control Calls

It’s not often that you hear goodwill towards a drug company, but one woman and her puppy had a pleasant surprise when calling the ASPCA poison hotline. Her dog had eaten seven Claritin tablets, and it was uncertain whether or not the puppy was in danger.

After dialing the hotline, the operator informed the distressed owner that the call would cost $65 to speak to a professional. But when the operator learned that a Schering-Plough product was the harmful substance, she informed the concerned dog owner that the drug company pays for the calls on any of their products.

The dog is now doing great, thanks to the generosity of the drug company.

Source: Consumerist

#375. Free Tickets From the Jet Blue People Officer

If you fly Jet Blue, you might just run into the mystical People Officer. One such passenger reports of the People Officer standing up mid-flight and announced that he had free tickets to give away to anywhere that the airline company flew. The man played trivia games, and handed out tickets to anyone who knew the answers. In all, around a dozen free tickets were handed out during the mid-flight games.

The Jet Blue employee then went on to ask if anyone had any suggestions or concerns with Jet Blue, and answered questions about upcoming possible promotions. Think he made any life-long Jet Blue customers from that one plane ride?

#377. BWI Airport Fast Park

The Airport Fast Park at the Baltimore Washington International Airport is a little different than other “park-n-ride” airport shuttles. When you enter their lot, an attendant greets you and shows you the best row to park your car so you don’t have to search for an open space. The shuttle meets you at your parked car so there’s no waiting at a shelter. Then the bus driver helps you with your luggage, and if it’s raining meets you with an umbrella.

While on the bus, the friendly driver actually talks to you, and on your way back the shuttle takes you directly to your car, with a complimentary bottle of water.

Who knew bus rides could be enjoyable?

Source: Simple Complexity

#379. From Marty Desmond

Growing up in southern Louisiana, I often heard the word Lagniappe; that little something extra. I also grew up to enjoy the local cuisine.

Last week, I found out that a restaurant, Louisiana Territory had a catering truck that served their food at various places here in
Silicon Valley. I looked on their website for the menu and schedule then, for a week, had a catfish poboy on my mind.

Yesterday I went and picked up food for the office. When I got back, instead of catfish, I had a blackened chicken poboy. While it was delicious, it was a disappointment.

I emailed the company and got an answer within an hour, offering the next sandwich free. At that point, the opinion in this office was a unanimous thumbs up.

#381. Take from a talk by Jim Pandise from salesforce.com:

Comcast

Jim talked about how he called up Comcast when his introductory rate for his bundle ended. Thinking his rate was going to skyrocket he was pleasantly surprised when they informed that his rate would be slightly lowered. They also gave Jim a couple of free movies as a ‘thank you’.

#383. From Nicolas Nelson

Great Harvest Bakery

“The Great Harvest Bakery is a relatively small franchise chain of
wonderful American-style bakeries that is growing slowly on purpose–they want to make extra sure that every new Great Harvest Bakery is top notch and fully reflects the ethos of the original one.

Lagniappe is what Great Harvest Bakery is all about– it comes across in a dozen ways. But the first one any visitor will notice immediately is the free bread tasting every time you come in the door.

Yep, everyone who even stops by gets a free slice of their choice of the day’s fresh-baked bread. A generous free slice. Whether or not you buy something. Whether or not you even stay in the bakery after you take their bread. Whether or not you say thank you. Free bread, every visit!

Of course, there’s a catch: the bread is unbelievably good. That free slice of bread will convince you to buy a whole loaf. We do, almost every week. The panini sandwiches are pretty amazing too, by the way (but not free).

#388 Taken from a tweet by Jessica Mischner @jessicamischner

Tipsy Parson

“New afternoon hours at Tipsy Parson. Plus, “lagniappe” (free snack) with drink purchase–Nola’s genius answer to apertivo. Thx @tastingtable”

[Editors Note: NOLA = New Orleans, Louisiana]

#390. Taken from Nic Nelson’s website

Wordsmith Writing Coaches

“Wordsmith coaches and tutors are encouraged to follow Nic’s example and bike to as many appointments as they can. Biking keeps us writerly folks active and healthy; bikes never get stuck in traffic, and almost always can park closer to their destination than any automobile. Bike commuting keeps our carbon footprint tiny, preventing pollution, maximizing natural resources, easing traffic congestion (”One Less Car”, as LACBC points out), and generally making us and others happier and healthier.

While saving a considerable amount of gas money, it also keeps miles of wear off our cars. Because of this, if you can meet us within a biking radius, you will not be charged any travel fee.”

[Link to Nic's site: http://wordsmithwritingcoaches.com/tutors_who_bike_commute.html ]

Submitted by Debbie Gersten

#394. Descend Salon (SFO) – glass of wine (or two or three) while you’re getting your haircut

#395. Hotel Monaco (Denver) – bubble baths made to order

#397. From Joe Gascoigne, Co-Founder of OnePage (www.myonepage.com)

Zappos

“As for an example, one that springs to mind is that if you try to order shoes from Zappos and they do not have the shoes you want in stock, they will actually recommend a nearby store that does. It seems counter-intuitive, but I think it really builds trust and it obviously works well for them.”

#401. Salute

“Had lunch today at Salute in New York City (270 Madison Ave). Nice upscale restaurant that caters to a business crowd. Upon sitting at the table I noticed a purple goldfish. Each table came with a tiny notepad similar to those you would get at a conference or hotel. It was for notes if needed during lunch. The small pad was branded with Salute’s marks and contact info. A nice little keepsake compliments of the restaurant.”

#403. Taken from an article in Entreprenuer from Sydney Barrows

Danny Meyer on being ‘Attentive’

“New York restaurateur Danny Meyer is a master of detail, and his employees are trained to notice, and when appropriate act on, even the tiniest scraps of information they observe or discover about a guest. If you happen to mention when making a reservation that it’s a birthday dinner, the manager will make it a point to come to the table and extend Danny’s birthday wishes to the appropriate person. If a staff member overhears a conversation in which one of the guests mentions they either like or dislike something, within minutes, everyone who might come into contact with that guest knows about it. And they tailor your food accordingly, too.

For those to whom attentiveness is important, the experience one has when dining at any of his restaurants is a pleasure that is second to none. It’s no wonder that his restaurants regularly battle with each other for top ranking in the “Most Popular” list on the Zagat guide. His book, Setting the Table, is a treasure trove of wonderful business lessons that all businesses could model in one way or another, and it’s a great read to boot.”

#405. Submitted by Social Jack Campisi

Butler’s Dry Cleaning

“At Butler’s Dry Cleaning your dry cleaning is free if its for a funeral or if its your wedding.”

#409. Taken from a blog post by Steve Curtin @http://www.stevecurtin.com/blog/2010/05/18/does-your-customer-feel-like-a-guest-or-a-nuisance/

Caffe Ibis

“Just last week I was in Logan, UT. Being a coffee enthusiast and having read about the mountain grown, Triple Certified coffee at Caffe Ibis, I made it a point to stop by on the day of my arrival.

I showed up at 6:45pm and learned that the store closed at 6:30pm. I peered through the glass door and made eye contact with an employee who pointed to her watch and mouthed the words, “We’re closed.”

Before I returned to my car, however, an energetic employee named Natalie unlocked the front door and engaged me.

I mentioned that I was in town for one night from Denver and had hoped to try a cup of Caffe Ibis coffee that I had read so much about and pick up a pound of beans to take back home.

She said, “The machines are off and the register is closed but let me see what I can do.”

A few minutes later, she appeared with a steeping (literally) cup of coffee and a pound of Double French Roast Blend coffee beans.

I thanked her, paid her $15 in cash, and enjoyed a delicious cup of coffee back in my hotel room.

The following day, on my way out of town, I returned and spent another $28.05 on a latte, ground Espresso Roast Blend, and a Caffe Ibis t-shirt. That’s $43.05 in revenue from a guest that many employees would have labeled a nuisance—an interruption in their day.

And my purchasing hasn’t stopped. I’m back in Denver but enjoyed the coffee so much that I’m planning a repeat purchase of Double French Roast Blend coffee beans from their website. My potential future value to Caffe Ibis is significant.

If the first employee was my only impression of Caffe Ibis, I would have left empty-handed, kept my $15, and may or may not have returned the following day to spend another $28.05. And if I hadn’t experienced its coffee in Logan, I certainly wouldn’t be ordering it by the pound on-line.

This is key: Did the first employee do anything wrong? No. She was following policy. I get that. She was also behaving in a way that is usual, ordinary, and expected by most customers.

Natalie, on the other hand, treated me like her guest. She behaved in a way that was beyond what is usual, ordinary, and expected by most customers. She was refreshing and unique. As a result, she not only made a positive lasting impression, she made a sale!”

#411. Taken from a tweet by the one and only Peter Shankman (@skydiver)

Sheraton

“Sheraton Overland Park KS put fruit/welcome note in room AND REFERENCED MY BLOG IN NOTE! AWESOME #custserv!”

#413. Submitted by Jack Monson of eNR

Diageo

“When you rent conference space at Diageo’s HQ in Norwalk . . . a bonus that included is a trip to the bar at the end of the day.”

#415. From Emilio Lopez

American Express / American Airlines

FREE Companion ticket program

#417. From Sydney Reiner

See’s Candy

“See’s candy always gives you a free piece of chocolate when you come into the store.”

#419. From Don Lowry

Bruster’s Ice Cream

“Free baby cones (with candy eyes and sprinkle hair) and free doggie sundaes (scoop of ice cream with a small milkbone). Plus, call and request your favorite ice cream and they’ll make it, and email you when it’s made.”

#421. From Barry Curewitz

Bose

“The one company I love dealing with is Bose. They have great products and great products. I bought one of their Lifestyle Systems for my home. When I installed it, I had some difficulty with the wiring and set-up. Technical support was terrific. They answered all of questions and took the time necessary for me to install my system (they actually solved my problem). At the end of the phone call they asked the standard “is there anything else I can for you today”, and I answered yes. They handled that problem too (another issue I was having with another product), and they did it gracefully. To me, solving the first problem was better than expected (compared to what other companies provide). Solving my second challenge was just above and beyond.”

#423. Submitted by Bob Dorf

Taos

“The late, legendary ernie blake, owner of taos ski resort in new mexico, set out “martini trees” for skiers at day’s end. not bad.”

#424. Submitted by David Diamond

Vinny’s Deli and Pasta

“I love your project — it is a very clever idea, and I am a true believer that the cost of these little extras more than pays itself out in customer loyalty and good will

My best example is the local deli in my town — Vinny’s Deli and Pasta — where it is basically impossible to not get a free drink — coffee, soda, whatever, while you are waiting for your order to be prepared. The magic is that there is no policy, no signage, it just always happens.”

#426. Submitted by Dan Gersten

Johnny the Bagger

“Seriously, if you haven’t already seen this, you’ve been missing out!
http://www.stservicemovie.com/
I had found it and posted in in the shopper marketing group on linkedin and it evoked a notable emotional response from people”

#429. From Jordan Stark

The Mermaid Inn

“The Mermaid Inn (3 locations in nyc) gives each person a free small
cup of chocolate pudding with whipped cream and a fortune teller fish at the end of the meal. Very cool.”

#431. Submitted by Jack Campisi

Stew Leonard’s

As part of an on-going commitment to preventive healthcare, Stew Leonard’s will launch a pilot program tomorrow offering on-site physicals for Team Members at the Norwalk store. The Stew Leonard’s “Wellness Mobile” will be led by Dr. Igal Staw, a local Norwalk physician who has served the community for more than 30 years.

“Stew Leonard’s surveyed our Team Members and we found that a lack of time and not having a trusted doctor locally kept many from getting their yearly physicals,” said Jill Leonard Tavello, Executive VP of Culture and Communications at Stew Leonard’s. “By bringing Dr. Staw directly to our store here in Norwalk, we hope to keep our Team Members healthy and reinforce the importance of preventive care.”

On June 3, the first eight Team Members will report to the Wellness Mobile, located in a private trailer behind the store, for blood work, an EKG, and preliminary paperwork with a staff member of Dr. Staw’s office. On June 7 and 8, Dr. Staw will perform the physicals as well as take time to meet with each Team Member regarding their healthcare-related questions. If the Wellness Mobile is a success in Norwalk, Stew Leonard’s plans to expand the program to their other stores in Yonkers, N.Y. and Danbury and Newington, Conn.

“Recent research shows that well over 40% of premature deaths in the United States can be attributed to lifestyle choices,” said Dr. Staw. “My work at Stew’s Wellness Mobile will of course focus on early detection of treatable medical conditions, but the real emphasis will be on assessing each Team Member’s risk for chronic disease and how they can lower that risk through smart, healthy choices in their everyday lives.”

The Wellness Mobile is just the latest example of how Stew Leonard’s has taken an active approach to preventive health care for their more than 2,500 Team Members. On-site cholesterol and blood pressure screenings, mammograms, and flu shots are offered throughout year and discounts on weight loss programs, smoking cessation aids, and fitness center memberships are also provided to both full and part-time Team Members. Additionally, between now and August 31, Stew Leonard’s will give Team Members $500 in Benefit Bucks – or money towards their deductible – to encourage them to visit their doctor for their annual check-up.

#446. From Joe Bob Hester of the University of North Carolina (taken from an article by the News Observer:

Peter Millar

“They remember the mints. When boxes of golf shirts and shorts and other high-end menswear are shipped from the Peter Millar office and warehouse, the packing list includes mints.

When customers unpack their orders, they are struck by three things: The quality of what they’ve ordered; each item comes out of the box in the order it’s listed on the packing sheet; and, mints are included for the pleasure of it.

It’s a little thing, but this year when a few boxes arrived short of mints (they ran out briefly), phone calls started coming.

At Peter Millar, located in a low-profile office park on the southwest edge of Raleigh, the attention to detail, commitment to quality and a North Carolina-grown appreciation of classic menswear has helped catapult the company into one of the hottest brands on the market, particularly for golfers.

Classic styles. Vibrant colors. High quality.

The only thing missing is Eastern North Carolina barbecue.

It’s through golf that the brand has become almost instantly recognizable. It’s what many of the Titleist touring pros wear at tournaments. It’s what the NBC Sports golf team wears. And, it’s what’s the U.S. Ryder Cup team will wear in Wales this fall.

Along with Scott Mahoney, who joined the company as president and CEO in 2005, Knott has nurtured Peter Millar into a dynamic player in the industry without surrendering its small company touches.

A beagle, with the title of vice president for security, wanders the stockroom where shelves are stacked with boxes of everything in the collection. On Friday, the 55 employees eat hot dogs together at lunch.

The clothes are made around the world, but they wind up at the office park in Cary where each order is hand packed. There’s an embroidery shop on site where club logos are stitched.

“You can identify their merchandise from a million miles away,” says Marty Hackel, fashion editor for Golf Digest magazine. “When you can identify clothes without looking at the label, you know they’ve done something significant.”

Peter Millar, Knott and Mahoney will tell you, is not a golf brand but a lifestyle brand. Mahoney talks about capturing a “share of the closet,” which means outfitting a man from shoes to a coat.

‘We are our customers’

They have a simple philosophy: If it’s something Knott or Mahoney – two middle-aged men – wouldn’t wear, they won’t make it.

“We are our customers,” Knott says.

Peter’s on the ball

And, you might ask, just who is Peter Millar?

Knott’s mother was an antiques dealer and years ago bought a collection that included an antique lawnball. The ball had its owner’s name – Peter Millar – printed on it.

When it came time to name his company, Knott settled on Peter Millar.

The ball is on display at the company office in Cary.

A dish of mints is nearby.

For the full article: http://www.newsobserver.com/2010/06/06/515626/menswear-styled-signed-delivered.html#ixzz0q4g66Wre

#453. From Jennifer Phelps

Splash Car Wash in Norwalk, CT

“Splash gives away free balloons for the kids, plus they have two soap guns so your kids can spray the car as it drives by in the automatic car wash.”

#459. Submitted by Jennifer Phelps

Sonic

“Buy one (real) ice cream from Sonic and you get one free. The freebie you can either enjoy right then or use a coupon for it on your next visit.”

#461. PeterMillar.com

Free FedEx ground shipping with your order. Nice.

#469. Taken from a tweet by @McTwittahPants

Louisiana Lagniappe

“is in love w/ Louisiana Lagniappe. The place is delightful. They offer complimentary rolls & napkins in shape of seashells! #littletouches”

#471. Submitted by Kelly Ketelboeter

Pixar

Check out this response from a director at Pixar. It sure looks like a purple goldfish to me!!

http://www.lettersofnote.com/2010/06/pixar-films-dont-get-finished-they-just.html

#473. From Aimee Lucas

FIg

“So my friend and I met at the mall this evening – a girl’s night out of wine, dinner, shopping that we try to do every 6 to 8 weeks. You may know that Todd English has teamed up with Macy’s and placed restaurants – named “Fig” – in some of their stores. The one near us in Palm Beach Gardens, FL is one of those stores. Our first visit there was on a similar girl’s night about 6 weeks ago – and the waitress picked up on that it was our first visit which generated a visit to our table from the manager, a card for a free appetizer on our next visit AND free dessert that night – a decadent white chocolate bread pudding. We were sold.

So we headed back tonight – raved about the bread pudding causing our return, ordered our wine, free app and entree (to shared) and our bread pudding (to share) for dessert. Our poor waiter, Adam, comes back later in the meal after confirming we were ready for our dessert – sincerely apologetic and genuinely concerned that he was about to ruin our night with his news: they were out of bread pudding. But – he also showed up with another card for a free dessert on our next visit with a note on the back of the card from the manager. It wouldn’t have ruined our night – we still had a lovely meal – and it certainly wasn’t anyone’s fault they had a run on their bread pudding. But they stepped up on both visits, gave us little extras we hadn’t expected and I’m pretty sure that there are going to be a string of girls nights back at Fig – despite a limited menu that if it weren’t for their lagniappe service would probably have us dining at different locations each time.

#475. Taken from blogpost by Stephanie Green

“I received an unusual lagniappe in a brown paper envelope the other day — a lip gloss that is being touted as “politically correct.”
HMMMM… Politics and lipstick. An incongruous pairing in the extreme, but far be it for me to throw out a free beauty product due to my preconceived notions about how politics (and politicians) need a lot more than lipstick to get prettied up in the eyes of the public these days. So what is this stuff, anyway?
“The Politically Correct Pout” is the latest baby born to Le Métier de Beauté, the cosmetic line of Neiman Marcus, and it’s being billed as “a perfect nude shade that will work its magic from coffee to cocktails — perfect for the Washingtonian woman running from meetings on the Hill to the gala on the Mall!”

#477 From Keith Green @keithstweets of Synergy Events

Bar Breton

“First, congrats on the winning the trip, well deserved! Looking
forward to hearing stories and who you meet at the conference.

I had a nice lunch in NYC earlier this week and thought of your
project. At the end of my lunch at Bar Breton on 5th Avenue, I
received two chocolate cookies. Granted, they were tiny-probably between the size of a quarter and a half dollar-but just enough to satisfy my sweet tooth when clearly, dessert wasn’t needed off the menu. The cookies were served in a tiny bowl, not much larger than the cookies, making for a cool presentation.”

#480. From William Mericle of EURO RSCG in Chicago

Pot Belly Sandwiches

“Pot Belly gives you a small cookie on a straw”

I’ve just returned from Cannes where I participated in the Burning Question seminar. The Burning Question (www.burningquestion.com) was sponsored by Bridge Worldwide, a leading digital and relationship agency based in Cincinnati. Leading the seminar with Jim Stengel was Bob Gilbreath who happens to be the Chief Marketing Strategist at Bridge. Bob has pioneered a concept called ‘Marketing with Meaning’ which was featured in the 2009 release of the book, ‘The Next Evolution of Marketing’. His book has a treasure trove of examples for the Purple Goldfish Project:
#484. Baskin-Robbins turns hump day (Wednesday) to bump day by offering pregnant women a free cup or cone.
#485. Philadelphia Cream Cheese surprises and delight Jet Blue flyers with ‘Breakfast in Heaven’. The brand offered free bagels and cream cheese on morning flights with 500,000 passengers.
#486. UPS offers customers a desktop widget the helps track packages conveniently and quickly, a nice added value
#487. Sam Adams created a special edition of glasses to help enhance the craft beer experience. They cost $30 for the set, but the engagement is priceless.
#488. Mount Gay gives away signature red hats as part of its involvement in sailing races. They’ve become prized possessions within the seafaring community.
#488. Home Depot offers ‘how to’ classes in store for customers. Fantastic tie in to their slogan, “You can do it, we can help”.
#489. Palomino (a restaurant chain) asks customers for one piece of information in addition to e-mail. It’s their birthday. Then they send an e-mail two week before your birthday with an invite and a $20 discount voucher.
#490. Avis introduced a bunch of little extras in Newark to improve customer experience. Video monitors that gave flight update, business centers that allowed for calls and recharging of laptops were part of the solution. it was so successful it became known as the Newark model.

#492. From Dan Merchant and his blog ‘The Resourceful Traveler’

Joie de Vivre Hotels

“While making my reservation, the representative asked if I was a member of the “Joy of Life Club.” I wasn’t, so I naturally I asked for more information. When the email confirmation arrived, it included a link to sign-up for the club. So I began filling it out. When I got to the following fill-in-the blank, I was blown away: “Very Important Date. We want to help you celebrate with an exclusive offer. Choose your special day: a birthday, an anniversary, or the date you plan to retire…it’s up to you!”

#494. Taken from a tweet by @stjamescheese in New Orleans

Le Foret

“Excellent dinner at Le Foret. Great execution and lots of lagniappe. Three amuses, amazing macarons following dessert and a lovely madeleine in a baggy to take home for breakfast.”

[Editors Note: Amuse bouche is French for 'entertain the mouth'. They are little unannounced morsels served before the meal]

#496. Submitted by Lindsey Cohen

Cafe Luxemborg

Cafe Lux hands out a small piece of square chocolate at the end of the meal.

From Jeff Hayzlett’s book, ‘The Mirror Test’

#498. The 21 Club

‘We were at the 21 Club and Tami saw the waiter deliver a captivating drink to another table. “What’s that?” she asked . . . No one knew and so we decided to ask the waiter when he came back. Minutes later the waiter appeared again, but before we could ask, he set the same cocktail down in front of Tami with a flourish, “Kir Royal: Champagne and creme de cassis” he said. “Compliments of the house.”

#499. New Horizons Computers

I needed a way to add a little more value to the experience and make a lasting impression on customers. I settled on presenting every person who “graduated” from our training programs with a fun diploma and picture of their group in front of our company sign as a keepsake. Later I added a few other items like free chili dogs on Fridays.

#500. Doubletree Hotels

Do you know how much I love the warm cookies they serve at the Doubletree? (I eat them with a big glass of whole milk – if you are going to do it, you have to go the whole way.) I think about them when I’m at other hotels – how’s that for a lasting impression?

#501 Gans Ink

Gans Ink uses Tootsie Rolls; they put some into cases of ink they send to print shops. I have seen people race each other like a roller derby to open the case of ink for the Tootsie Rolls. Think that helps spread goodwill?